before? no matter what new evidence is found, one thing is certain. nearly 2,000 years after they walked the holy land, the world is looking to the marys for answers. . a first responder rushes into a building to rescue a

child. he doesn't see it as anything more than doing his job. this is a hero. a young girl speaks up for her right to an education and gets shot in the head. but her voice is not silenced. she inspires a movement of women. that's a hero. a man is found in a house with his arms tightly wrapped around his son, trying to protect him as super sandy swept them both away. he was a former marine. that's a hero too. we don't build statues to these people and may not each notice them. they don't care about that because their actions are not calculated to gain recognition or reward. what they do is who they are. as a young marine i was taught to help people whoa could not help themselves. all over the world right now

people are putting this principal into action and saving lives. these heroes speak one language. a language of humanity. there different kinds of heroes. those who in that unforgiving minute rise to the occasion when the moment calls for it. daily heroes who wake up every morning and change the world. you think you have got what it takes to be a hero. we have all asked ourselves that question. i think we do. because these heroes are you. just ordinary people. until they are heroes. we need those heroes more than ever. [ applause ]

>> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome anderson cooper. >> good evening, everyone and welcome to "cnn heroes," an all-star tribute much the men and women and children are taking aim at some of humanity's gravest challenges. they come here not only to accept gratitude, but to inspire us to take action in our own lives. with us this evening as expect at a fancy award show, here's the difference. they didn't come here to be honored. they generously came to lend support to the heroes. we want to thank them for being involved. you also can get involved. you will see ways to interact and donate on screen during the performances and during the show. you will see some stuff down over here and over here on your screen and hopefully not right here. that's my face.

that's the money maker. we have ten incredible heroes we are honoring. later one will be named the 2012 cnn hero of the year. if there is any time left, the producers promised me i can sing my version of gangnam style. fingers crossed. i have been practiced for weeks and i'm told there will not be time for that. our first story is a problem that is hiding in plain sight. an actor who champions many causes like unicef and race for kids, adrian brodie. every day so many children do the extraordinary. most of us don't even notice. they change their mother's iv,

they clean their brother's feeding tube and check for bed sores. they dispense complex life-saving drugs and spend the night worrying if they got it right. in the morning, worn out and drained, they catch the bus to school. they carry more than their heavy backpacks into the classrooms. they carry the burdens of home. she noticed how she's adult supports impacted their school work and how they were afraid if they asked for help at home they would be separated from their families and they often dropped out of school. while others were oblivious and critical, connie knew they were strong. she had the insight to start an organization focused on easing their burdens. because of her work, we can see these kids as inspiring,

compassionate human beings and we are blessed they are hidden no more. >> there at least 1.3 million children who are care giving in the united states. >> are you okay? >> my mom is say three-time cancer survivor. >> my biggest fear is finding out she is in the hospital when i get home from school. >> she may end up facedown in the back yard. >> as a result children sacrifice their education, they sacrifice their well being, they sacrifice their childhood. our health care system has many gaps. families are struggling and they don't have the disposal income to hire help at home. >> i helped my mom care for my brother, isaac. i started caring for isaac when i was 11 years old. i helped my mom bathe him, feed

him. i also help change his diaper, put on clothes. before i got into the care giving youth project, i mainly felt stress. >> having experienced some of that myself allows me to better understand what these families are going through. when i was growing up, my grandfather and i were really close. he had congestive heart failure. i did everything for my grandfather the night that he died. i was the that found he was no longer breathing and i can still feel what his skin felt like at that time. i remember i didn't cry until -- sorry.

>> after the lab, we will go over the periodic table. >> working with the children and seeing their lives transformed makes me get up every day. our society loses if we do not support these children. >> look at that! >> in school we offer skills building. we offer families a home visit to see what other needs the families might have. >> you have a couple of steps to get isaac into the house? maybe we can get a ramp built. >> that are would be great. thank you so much. >> fun activities are important because it allows the child to experience a piece of childhood they otherwise may not. >> it helps my confidence. >> i feel they have my back. >> i want to tell the world this organization is amazing. it really helps. it's all thanks to dr. connie. i love her so much.

. >> ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present cnn hero connie. [ applause ] it's no secret that the kids you just met are the real

heroes. there still too many people who don't know these children exist. thanks to tonight, many more do. now it's time to make sure that they have the support they need and that not one child drops out of school to care for loved ones. please join us to give your communities care giving youth a chance. thank you. >> next on "cnn heroes," viola davis and david spade and josh duhamel and a live performance by phillip phillips. [ nurse ] i'm a hospice nurse. britta olsen is my patient. i spend long hours with her checking her heart rate,

administering her medication, and just making her comfortable. one night britta told me about a tradition in denmark, "when a person dies," she said, "someone must open the window so the soul can depart." i smiled and squeezed her hand. "not tonight, britta. not tonight." [ female announcer ] to nurses everywhere, thank you, from johnson & johnson.

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>> welcome become to "cnn heroes." i want to acknowledge 32 of our

past heroes in the house tonight. we are glad the family could be here with us. thanks for being here. because of your support, they continue to do their life-changing work. now let's go to the next honoree. nelson mandela said education is the most powerful rep on used to change the world. afghanistan and the taliban destroyed hundreds of schools, targeting ones that educate young women and girls. our next hero welcome girls in the protective walls that she herself built. please welcome a proud supporter in her central town, viola davis.

. >> per let's remember this number. 32 million. that's how many girls around the world are deprived af a primary school of education every day. for too many they are denied this right simply because they are girls. note allowed to learn how to read and write, add and subtract, understand science and the stars. 32 million brilliant girls told they can't reach for the heavens. that's why a woman who embodies the word courage says not on my watch. we are going to change this. after she saw the towers fall on 9/11, she did just that. she returned to afghanistan to educate those girls and help rebuild her country. under looming threats and real danger, she opened the doors of

the education center. today these students walk with their heads held high, determined to raise their voices after being silenced for too long. greeting them each day is rozia, helping each one dream and say loud and proud, i want to learn. >> i came to afghanistan and i saw mostly desperate girls. if you see the history, the women and girls have suffered the russian invasion, the taliban, the civil war. for 30 years, the girls weren't allowed to go to school. >> school boys, they tried to cross the road and they see me, they will hit my car. they think that women shouldn't drive. shouldn't do anything. i thought if i can do something,

build this school, the best thing is to educate and start from the very bottom. >> . >> when i started the school, my mission was to have a girls school. i was not going to change my mind. under any circumstances. what they taught is that i will fail. then they can change it into a boys school. now the coins have flipped,

literally. they are very conservative, but they are not terrorists. we still have a lot of problems in afghanistan. the girls are being threatened. the schools have been burned. they have been poisoned. if they were walking to school, they throw acid on their face. i have security for the school, but we don't have guns. >> my name is nadya. my father's name is --

[ applause ] >> it's my honor to present cnn hero razia. >> thank you!

the seed of education that was cultivated for my girls five years ago is blooming. i have great hopes and dreams for the future of afghan girls. please hold my hand and let's go together, forward, and help these girls. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> i can't watch our last hero story without thinking of a young girl who was 14 and shot point blank in the head. shot point blank in the head in pakistan for speaking out in support of girls' education. she is recovering in a hospital in england. her father said she is getting

better and reading books again and she is walking again. her father asked that i read you a message from her tonight. she says, thank you so much for the outpouring of love and support. i thank the people who supported me without distinguishing religion and color. people have actually supported a cause and not an individual. let's work together, she says, to educate girls around the world. thank you and we send our thoughts and wishes for your continued healing. >> next on "cnn heroes." jeff gordon. still to come, susan sarandon and 50 sent. [ male announcer ] citi turns 200 this year.

in that time there've been some good days. and some difficult ones. but, through it all, we've persevered, supporting some of the biggest ideas in modern history. so why should our anniversary matter to you? because for 200 years, we've been helping ideas move from ambition to achievement. and the next great idea could be yours. ♪ it's lots of things. all waking up. connecting to the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything.

♪ it's going to be amazing. and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. we're going to wake the world up. and watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work. cisco. tomorrow starts here.

cisco. excuse me, sir i'm gonna have to ask you to power down your little word game. i think your friends will understand. oh no, it's actually my geico app...see? ...i just uh paid my bill. did you really? from the plane? yeah, i can manage my policy, get roadside assistance, pretty much access geico 24/7. sounds a little too good to be true sir. i'll believe that when pigs fly. ok, did she seriously just say that? geico. just click away with our free mobile app. in addition to the ten heroes we are saluting, we are recognizing little kid who is made a big difference.

to introduce us to our first, a prouder of keep a child alive and the red cross cabinet, david spade. >> it's great to be here at the "cnn heroes" event. a lot of people call me a hero. not people in this room, but out in the streets. because i try to do my part in helping out with different charities and try to do what i can. actually i don't want to forget about our own back yard. i have been working with charities here in hollywood that some people don't know about. about two weekends a month i work with a group called kids without beamers. we go to beverly hills high and we give out red convertible bmws

to anyone that doesn't have one already. there were two last year. it's a great group. a great bunch of people. check our website. also i work with doctors and give out free plastic surgery and face-lifts to actresses on their 25th birthday. if they can't afford it. the other day i was walking around and saw a girl who looked 28 and i said why? this doesn't have to happen. there is also celebrities. every six months i sit with lindsay lohan and we figure out the next big mistake. sometimes she is heading in the right direction and i say wait, trust your instincts. that's not why i brought you here. the real reason is i am going to introduce to you a cool kid.

young wonder, will horsey. look at what this compassionate and brilliant kid did to try to end hunger in this country. >> one day when i drove home from a little league game, i saw a homeless man that w a sign that said need a meal. i told my mom i wanted to do something. >> will is a 9-year-old child. i hesitate to call him chile. i think he's in a category of his sewn. he decided he would take on this issue of hunger. >> welcome to frogs. my group is called frogs and it means friends reaching our goals. our motto is having fun while helping others. >> write what we can do for a spring project. >> his big personality does not come from me. >> fire me up! >> every time you meet him you look at him and say are you kidding me? together with his buddies, they have raised over $20,000 or the

equivalent of 100,000 meals for the food bank. >> and these peaches are a delight. >> when you see someone who gets so engaged and gets the community engaged, it's an endorsement of the battle we fight to end hunger. >> thank you for your time to remember no matter how tall or small you are you can make a big difference. >> where is will, by the way? stand up. right over there. amazing. by the time he's 12, we are all going to be working for him. i guarantee. throughout tonight's broadcast, check out cnn.com/back stage for videos and instagram photos and i will be tweeting as well.

facebook and twitter and you can do that online and mobile device and even from the ipad ap. back to our heroes. addiction is no stranger. many are touched by turmoil whether it's addicts or loved ones who have been caught in the cycle. it's a force to be reckoned with and a way that channel the power into the healing power of sport. a racing hero through example showed the same perseverance and drive, police welcome the amazing jeff gordon. >> recovery from alcohol and drug addiction is never ending work. it takes strength and resolve to rise up and out of that despair. scott has been there.

when he was in his early teens, he started drinking and taking drugs to mask his pain. as he got older, he made so many wrong turns that one morning he woke up on the bathroom floor and knew one day his mother might find him there. would be unable to stir him n. in the heart breaking moment, he realized he had to rise up and take control of his life. or he was never going to be the person he always wanted to be. he began that recovery. he gave it all up. the drinking and his friends and influences that went along with his and addiction. when he looked around, he was all alone. so he found a community through sport. he did what heroes do. he built his own community. a safe, sober place where others could rise up too. he did that not just to be a better boxer or climber or runner, but to be the man he always dreamed he could be.

>> when you are really getting after it, climbing on your bike and throwing the bars back and forth or hanging off a rope and your hands are all pumped and you can barely hold on, something happens. you are there in that moment. everything else melts away and you are just there. it can fill that void that the drugs and alcohol left. >> my recovery from a life of addiction, i did a lot of intense sports. i raced a triathlon and eventually iron man. it changed my self esteem and i started to think of myself as an athlete instead of an addict. having that experience myself made me realize i can give this to other people. that's where phoenix started. phoenix is not a formal treatment program. not a replacement for 12 step or therapy, but it's crucial, i

think. it gives people a community and positive coping mechanisms and a way to redefine themselves as something other than an addict. on any given day, i can look out the door and see someone in the throws of addiction and say how do we get them from that side of the fence into this building? it stipes away and phoenix is a vehicle to see what they are capable of. >> you got it. >> i'm very grateful to him for creating this community. after i got sober, my dad died. i knew it was okay here that people cared if i was sober. it was like my second family. they walk through tough stuff and she has this courage. it's scare te pass through

personal pain and difficulty in our life. to face those things that inspires me. i think when you come to phoenix it allows you to let go of the shame from drug use and you can be a climber and a boxer and later you become a good friend and good son. i think there is a hook to the sports and we are not just replacing one high for the next. as we shift the self esteem, we overcome adversity. from the heights, you can see something in yourself that you can't see from down here and the more time you go up there, you realize you don't even need the mountain anymore. if it's something that is in your heart, that's when you can walk away from who you are as an addict and walk away proud.

>> ladies and gentlemen, my monhor to present cnn hero, scott stroed. >> thank you. sadly i have seen too many people lose their lives to addiction. i myself could have died over 15 years ago from my own drug and alcohol use. i think of that when i think of the 23 million americans and who knows how many worldwide who are struggling with this disease. i believe that together we can help them rise from the ashes and who knows what gifts they will bring to this world. thank you.

>> coming up, phillip phillips performs live and later olympic gold medalist collin jones.

>> welcome back. our first musical performance is a song that can easily have been written about our heroes tonight, working each day to provide love and care and safe haven to those in need. performing home, here phillip phillips. ♪

settle down, it will all be clear ♪ ♪ the demons they fill you with fear ♪ ♪ the troubles might drag you down ♪ ♪ you get lost you can always be found ♪ ♪ just know you're not alone ♪ cuz i'm going to make this place your home ♪ ♪ ♪

settle down, it'll all be clear ♪ ♪ don't pay no mind to the demons, fthey fill you with fear ♪ ♪ the trouble it might drag you down ♪ ♪ if you get lost you can always be found ♪ ♪ just know you're not alone ♪ because i'm going to make this place your home ♪

[ applause ] >> next on "cnn heroes," rain wilson, miranda cosgrove and a live performance by neo. [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus presents the cold truth.

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welcome back. f scott fitzgerald said show me a hero and i will write you a tragedy. one of the things i find inspiring about our heroes is many faced tragic circumstances and transformed their grief to help others. our next hero dealt with death and brings life into our world. to tell us how woman can make a great change in the world, the foundation promotes early education particularly for girls in underdeveloped countries, rain wilson. [ applause ] >> anderson cooper, my personal hero. they cannot ignore a problem that surrounds them and breaks

their hearts. catalina escobar is this kind of woman. she lives in one part of columbia with nice houses, loving family, food and medicine, but also saw the other part of the country. the place where teen mothers and their babies live in shacks. with hunger, illness, violence, and where children die too often simply because a young mother could not afford medicine. this daily preventable tragedy was something she refused to ignore and she started the juan fe leap gomez escobar association. it provides women and babies with a place to be independent and break this crippling cycle of poverty. it seems impossible that one woman should take on a problem so big, but there is nothing more powerful and born from the sorrow of holding her deceased son.

>> when you go around you find such a beautiful city. then five minutes away, little kids are living without anything at all. >> i used to be a banker. i was very comfortable actually. i can't be successful if i don't make other people happy around me. the year 2000 i started volunteering at this hospital. a baby was in my hands and he passed away. it was a preventible death that life could have been saved. just for $30. period. my own son died.

juan philippe. he was 14 months old and he died because of an accident, but not because he lacked resources. no mother in the world should go through that process just because they don't have the money to cover treatments. when you bury your on son, you start being part of those women's souls. in 2002, we built an intensive care unit that saved more than 3,000 babies. then you discover the problem was bigger. most of these babies come from teenage pregnancies and many of these girls are sexually abused.

>> we have to invest in the girls, otherwise they are going to remain in poverty forever. it took us 2 1/2 years to build the social center. 1,000 moms and babies come to our center. they come and get all the skills to give them the tools to be socially productive. they don't need prostitution to earn money. >> we have worked with 2,000 girls. the only thing we ask for them is to give the best of themselves.

>> it is my honor to present cnn hero, catalina escobar. >> being here is not a personal achievement. but for cartagena, colombia, they are my real, true heroes and the little fighters, the babies, whose lives we have saved. i am only the person who helps

them on their path from misery to dignity. thank you. >> please welcome a proud supporter of st. jude children's research hospital, miranda cosgrove. >> just imagine you have cancer. every day you go to the hospital for treatment. you see others just like you being poked and prodded with needles during chemo. but, unlike you, they have to stay. but because you're a young wonder, you find compassion where others might wallow in their misfortune. you are jesse. your heart is greater than most. you're so sick, and still you give the other kids something to smile about. true joy in a jar.

>> jesse was 11 when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. jessie was outpatient, so every day, we would get in the car and drive up to children's hospital of orange county and drive home. one day, we were leaving and she just simply asked us, when do all the other kids come home? what can she do to help them? >> kind of found an empty jar somewhere and she started stuffing things in it. >> put like a green turtle, and a splash ball. >> maybe a car? >> a car? >> yeah. >> she took her middle name, joy, and the jar, and that's how joy jars got birthed. she clearly knew the impact it was making in these kids lives as she was giving them their joy jars. >> thank you. >> she was really particular about what would go in the jars. it had to be something cool. it couldn't be cheap and flimsy. >> people from all around the united states who were following

her story were saying, hey, can we get some for our friends who has a child fighting cancer? and then it just exploded. >> do you know how many people are helping? why are you doing that? why not make it about you? >> i just wanted to make them happier. because i know that they -- they are going through a lot, too. >> when jess lost her battle with cancer on january 5, 2012, she was 12 years old. ♪ so shine bright tonight >> it's joy for jesse day. >> since jesse's passing we have sent over 27,000 joy jars. >> it's what she started and it's what we will continue to do. >> what makes jesse a young wonder is she cared and in the midst of a world that says focus on yourself, it's all about you, she said, no, it's not.

♪ shine bright like a diamond ...and now... you! [ giggles ] ♪ the one and only, cheerios in that time there've been some good days. and some difficult ones. but, through it all, we've persevered, supporting some of the biggest ideas in modern history. so why should our anniversary matter to you? because for 200 years, we've been helping ideas move from ambition to achievement. and the next great idea could be yours. ♪

this is olivia. she's the love of my life and is almost 13. you know, she's the first thing that i really truly loved and took care of. i was 39 years old. i just had done "best in show" and fell in love with every dog i met and i was also in therapy, surprise, and my therapist said, you should get a dog. i don't think i could be married today, and i don't think i would have the friendships that i have and relationships that i have and i am so thankful to this little girl for opening my heart, and i take care of her and she takes care of me. >> jane lynch is right. we love our dogs, us dog lovers. i'm a dog lover. this is my dog, actually, molly. she has the stinkiest breath you can possibly imagine. it's like a squirrel has crawled inside her and died, but i still love her.

our next hero found an innovative way to partner rescue dogs with people that really could use some help. of the 2 million soldiers deployed to iraq and afghanistan, 1 in 5 returns with post traumatic stress disorder. to share how our hero is saving lives, please welcome jane lynch. >> in the united states military there's a saying "i've got your 6." that means don't worry, i got your back. for our veterans that struggle with the invisible wounds of war who feel isolated with the effects of ptsd and depression, who have to fight to get the care they need, and to foyt the urge to commit suicide, mary cortani's got their backs in a profound way. not because she is a veteran,

too, but because she finds these men and women a loyal and loving companion who helps them put their lives back together. three years ago she started matching veterans in need of a serve dog with the right shelter dog in need of a home. and let me tell you it's a soulful thing to witness this bond at work, training as a team so when they guo out in the world, the dog can sense if the vetven is fighting a flashback, becoming overwhelmed with sounds and anxiety. the dog calms, the dog watches, and the veteran knows who's got their 6. >> these are two of my friends, really close friends of mine. they were killed in action. being an infantryman, we are trained to see everything. if i don't see something, somebody can die.

coming back to the regular, everyday civilian life, reality didn't make sense anymore. when i find myself walking, i'm scanning for threats that had happened in iraq. i'm looking at windows. i'm looking at roofs. very attracted to movement. who is behind that corner? what is sitting on that balcony? it feels like you are drowning. i thought suicide might have been the best answer. things got better for me when i did meet mary cortani. >> awesome. awesome. what i want you to do is you're going to close your eyes, you're safe. you've got them with you. i'm up here. try to match their breathing. operation freedoms paw takes dogs from shelters to rescue groups and matches them with a veteran with disability. for someone having a flashback

or anxiety attack, the dog can sense that, nudge that arm, give a hug, break the cycle. inform. >> yes, yes. >> if your hand is like this, there's still tension, unnecessary tension. >> olivia just wants to check everything out. >> what characteristics in shadow made you think he would be a good dog for david in particular? >> there's a young energetic man in there that needs a dog that is going to bring out that fun and kid in him again. >> yeah. >> and let him realize that there is some joy. >> your trust in the world is strengthened with the dog and it sounds like it's getting better. >> he's learning to see the dog through the dog. >> through t dog. >> she called me up and said, hey, i have your dog. and i show up and there's shadow, he's running around in the building, you know. i knelt down with him and he sat in front of me, you know.

you know, and i -- i hugged the dog. it felt like that piece i was missing was right there. that's why what she does is so vital. she saved my life. you know? >> we want to be able to help as many men and women with disabilities as we can. let's stop the suicide. let's get them the help they need. love heals. love does. especially when it has a wet nose and four paws and a wagging tail. >> please join me in honoring cnn hero mary cortani.

>> this award is not about me. it is about the men and women who so gallantly serve this country and come home injured. we need to do more to let them know that we care. that's what operation freedom paws is all about. thank you, nicky, and my ofp family. >> if you would like to make a donation to any of this year's top ten cnn heroes, you can go to cnnheroes.com to do that.

and through december 31st, google is waiving all transaction fees to make sure 100% of every dollar you donate goes directly to our heroes' dedicated nonprofits. it's been almost two decades since apartheid ended in saf caw. and 18 years later, seven of ten children live in poverty, and our next hero took matters into his own hands. reigniting the hope his country men had fought so hard for so many years ago. here to illuminate his story is a musician who pledged to feed a billion people in africa using a portion of the proceeds from the sale of his energy drink. please welcome 50 cent. >> it's not easy to start out at the bottom. in that neighborhood that sits on the shadows of a thriving

city, a place where hunger is real. shacks stretch as far as the eyes can see and water is carried in buckets. and when you start with so little it's hard to dream about something better. thulani madondo grew up in kliptown, south africa. he lacked everything but the drive to climb up the ladder. when he looked down he knew the ladder needed to reach higher. so that other kids in kliptown could climb, too. so he started an afterschool program that gives 400 kids the confidence to climb out of the shadows. feel the warmth of opportunity, not just in the big cities but in the very place they call home. >> there are 45,000 people without most of the basic things such as electricity, schools or clinics. this is the home where i was

born and raised. there were nine of us who lived in this house. my mom with three sisters slept in the bed while all of us boys would sleep on the floor here. i never had a school uniform. i never had pocket money or lunch boxes. my vision when we started the program was it was going to be a place where children would get assisted with their homework as well as food. but not just that. a place where they would take it as a home. >> this is our library.

we've got grade 12 being tutored, and grades in each class. ♪ >> kyp members' performance at school have increased because of the tutoring. >> they have confidence and take the lead. >> one thing i tell the children is that children always tell themselves that they are poor because you may be poor in terms of material wealth, but being still rich inside. i am what i thought i wanted to be. >> i am a pilot! >> i am a doctor. >> policeman. >> i am a fashion designer. >> i am an actor. >> can you imagine the impact we

have if one of the children from the community went to school, got a university degree, and got good jobs? >> i am an engineer. >> i am a teacher. >> being able to help young people who have never had the opportunity is what i wanted. i never got it, but i was fortunate to help other people get it. it makes me feel good. >> and it is my honor to present the cnn hero thulani madondo.

>> at kyp we feel so grateful that we can help change the lives of hundreds of kliptown children living in shacks. having grown up in kliptown ourselves, we know the daily struggles, we know the challenges. for us we have a saying, pull up your own socks, it's a privilege to teach it to the children but even a greater gift to see them doing it. thank you. >> announcer: next, susan sarandon and still to come, josh duhamel and maria bello. excuse me, sir i'm gonna have to ask you to power down your little word game. i think your friends will understand. oh no, it's actually my geico app...see? ...i just uh paid my bill.

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welcome back to cnn heroes. a reminder, while you're watching tonight, check out our live blog at cnn.com/backstage. many of the stories tonight that

you'll hear will involve heroes helping children achieve a basic right, the right just to be children. they are helping to free them from forces beyond their control, inequality and poverty and in our next hero's case, helping free innocent children locked behind bars. here to tell her story, welcome an actress/activist producing a documentary on our hero and her work, unicef ambassador and dream inspiration award winner, susan sarandon. >> one afternoon as part of her research a young college student went to speak with the women imprisoned in a katmandu jail. while she asked questions on one side of the bars, she began to feel something tugging on her clothes. pushpa basnet looked down. she saw a tiny hand clutching

the fabric, and then the unexpected eyes of a beautiful little girl. this child wouldn't let go and neither could pushpa. she couldn't live with the fact that in nepal if a parent is convicted and there's no trustworthy guardian to be found, then often the best option for the child is to go to prison with her parent. so pushpa has devoted her life to helping these kids. she created the butterfly home where older children live, go to school, and receive medical care. she also started a day care for the children still too young to leave their parent and walks them every day to and from the prison to a place where they learn to read, draw, and imagine. these boys and girls are loved, and they love pushpa, their mamu.

>> maybe god has sent me to do this thing. we are traveling to a small jail, three hours drive from kathmandu. you have people there with different crime, like drugs, trafficking, and so now the mother has just called us to come and pick up the child. she said that i am in a prison for drug trafficking. i am scared now that i am in prison, the circle of my friends will traffic my daughter.

>> freedom. i give them the freedom from the prison. that's the greatest thing i can give them. i get up around 5:30. we are a family.

you are not just dealing with one child, you are dealing with 44 children with 44 various behaviors. every child deserves a good life. we give them education, food, love. this is the most precious time for them, and they are spending it with me. just imagine how lucky i am.

>> it is my honor to present cnn hero pushpa basnet. >> these children have not done nothing wrong. they are simply caught in something they do not understand. we want to work with the government to bring them all out from the prison, and they deserve a better future. this work is the only thing for me and with your support we can keep going. thank you. initiated.

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i was 5 years old when my parents wanted to take me to a water park. i was really excited. but unfortunately i never had swim lessons. but my dad wanted to get on the biggest ride there, and me looking up to him, i wanted to follow suit. i pushed off, but unfortunately when i got to the bottom of the ride i flipped upside down. my mom tells the story best, she heard her only child screaming

and having a great time, and then nothing. she pulled herself down, trying to get to me to save me. but unfortunately she was not comfortable in the water either, and she began to drown at the bottom of the pool. my dad had to dive in and got my mom and the lifeguard came and got me. a child can drown in 20 seconds, and i was under for 30, and that day changed my life forever. >> the little boy in that story grew up to become two-time olympic gold medalist in swimming, cullen jones. like our next hero, he's dedicated himself to make sure all kids, especially african-american children, learn how to swim through his work with make a splash in the usa swimming foundation. please welcome cullen jones. >> six years ago on a beautiful day a boy named josh grabbed a raft and drifted out onto a lake.

as he rested there in the summer sun he didn't know he had floated out to where the water was too deep. when the raft flipped over, josh was in trouble. he didn't know how to swim. this 16-year-old boy filled with so much promise drowned. wanda butts grieved her son morning, noon and night. and after a year she was determined to turn her son's tragedy into triumph. to try to make sure this doesn't happen to any other. so she had an idea. teach the boys and girls in toledo, ohio, how to swim. i can't tell you how thrilling it is to see these boys and girls walk on the edge of a swimming pool, they jump in, and because of wanda they aren't afraid of the water anymore. they feel safe. they can kick, move, break the surface and breathe.

>> i believe that swimming is a basic life skill. but i learned that too late. i lost josh on august the 6th 2006. he was special. josh was my peach. my son drowned. as a child, i was never taught about the dangers of water. my parents didn't talk about it. no one in our community ever talked about it. so i never learned, and i never taught josh. african-american children are three times more likely to drown than white children. that's a problem. drowning is a silent death. and i have had enough of the silence. who wants to learn to swim today? i started the josh project to

teach kids how to swim. my daughter, my two grandsons and i were the first four students, and now over 1,200 children have gone through the josh project. no more expensive lessons. no more telling our kids not to get their hair wet. no more excuses. all right. you doing okay? i want to reach every child in every school, and every church. i even invited cullen jones to come and speak to my kids. >> not learning to swim is definitely something that is generational in the african-american community. i see myself in these kids. i still remember how it felt when i almost drown. that's why i feel the josh project is so amazing because it sheds a lot of light on what can happen.

>> i want these kids to teach their kids, learn to swim. part of my life's journey is losing my own fear of water. i'm going to do it. i think the most important part of cullen jones' story is that he got to grow up. i love hearing what these kids want to be when they grow up. >> a navy s.e.a.l. >> a teacher. >> a lifeguard. >> josh didn't get to grow up, but he's with me every day. >> good job!

>> ladies and gentlemen, my cnn hero, my hero, the new comfortable swimmer, my other mom, miss wanda butts. >> first i must thank god for the opportunity and the privilege to be here today. my hope is that all children are taught to swim and to be safe in and around the water. our responsibility as adults is

to give them this basic life skill. my son, josh, is my hero, because his life gave my life meaning. next sunday would be his 23rd birthday. happy birthday, josh, i love you. thank you. >> please welcome the supporter of the one word kid charity, rico rodriguez. >> by working together we can solve problems, even big ones. this is what a young wonder does. they look at a problem in a creative way and say i'm going to fix this, and that is exactly what cassandra lynn did. she had this amazing idea and she brought three things together, concern for the environment, families who needed to heat their homes, and leftover restaurant cooking oil,

it's genius. and there's no reason this can't be done all over the world tomorrow. so check this out. >> when i was young i heard about global warming and i knew there was huge consequences for this huge problem. so i got together with my friends and we found out that you could actually turn waste cooking oil into biodiesel fuel. because many families in my own town couldn't afford to heat their own homes, i thought, what if we could recycle waste cooking oil to heat the homes of these local families. we made a difference and so can you. >> we were just worried about keeping our kids warm and having heat and hot water. it was a major relief. >> i was trying to talk about biodiesel and could not get anywhere with it, and she came along and did it to get restaurants to recycle their grease. >> it will also promote the use of alternative energy. >> the fact it was coming from

kids hit home harder, the child shall lead them sort of thing. she set the example for the town. and it's great that westerly has a person that we can be proud of and tell the rest of the country, look what we're doing. >> if everybody gave a little something back and took a little time out of their day to do something for others, the world would be a better place. >> next, maria bello honors a haitian hero and later ne-yo performs live. we were so blessed when we had triplets if by blessed you mean freaked out about money well we suddenly noticed that everything was getting more expensive

so we switched to the bargain detergent but i found myself using three times more than you're supposed to and the clothes still weren't as clean as with tide. so we're back to tide. they're cuter in clean clothes. thanks honey yeah you suck at folding [ laughs ] [ female announcer ] one cap of tide gives you more cleaning power than 6 caps of the bargain brand. [ woman ] that's my tide, what's yours? britta olsen is my patient. i spend long hours with her checking her heart rate, administering her medication, and just making her comfortable. one night britta told me about a tradition in denmark, "when a person dies," she said, "someone must open the window so the soul can depart." i smiled and squeezed her hand.

"not tonight, britta. not tonight." [ female announcer ] to nurses everywhere, thank you, from johnson & johnson. [ female announcer ] to nurses everywhere, let's say you want to get ahead how do you get from here... to here? at university of phoenix we're moving career planning forward so you can start figuring that out sooner. ln fact, by thinking about where want your education to lead, while you're still in school, you might find the best route... leads somewhere you weren't even looking. let's get to work. [ buzzing ] bye dad. drive safe. k. love you. [ chirping, buzzing continues ] [ horn honks ] [ buzzing continues ] [ male announcer ] the sprint drive first app.

blocks and replies to texts while you drive. we can live without the &. visit sprint.com/drive. we can live without the &. with two times the points on dining in restaurants,? you may find yourself asking why not, a lot. chase sapphire preferred. there's more to enjoy. our next hero comes from a country that's always in my heart, haiti.

nearly three years has passed, and haiti is still dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake that killed so many. hundreds of thousands of haitians still live in makeshift camps where safety, especially for women, is a very real concern. our next hero runs primary organization for women in dire need. like a lot of stories coming out of haiti, this one is difficult to hear and i want to warn you, it may be inappropriate for some young viewers, but it's a story that needs to be told. to explain more, welcome the goodwill ambassador for women in haiti, maria bello. >> in the language of creole, there is a term. it means the center pillar of the house. and this is what haitian women are. they're the breadwinners, the teachers, the caregivers all

across the beautiful country i call my second home. malya villard-appolon knows this. not just because she is the pillar for her family, but also for thousands of women and children who have survived the atrocities of rape and domestic violence. i have seen firsthand how lives are transformed because of the extraordinary work of malya and her team at cokofaviv. it's inspiring to be with you and josie, to hear from reginald and michelle. all of the women there and the children that witness how haitian women know what haitian women need. they need someone who comforts them in the hospital, files complaints with the police, and recruits young men to be security guards and patrol the camps. someone who hands out whistles and brings flashlights to the

darkest places to keep the rapists and criminals away, someone like malya, a pillar of strength, working with dignity to build respect for women under haiti's blue sky.

♪ i want to sing ♪ i want to shout ♪ i want to scream 'til the words dry out ♪ >> it's my honor to present my friend, cnn hero, malya villard-appolon.

[ speaking creole ] [ speaking creole ]

>> three words have marked me -- women, strength and pride, which my friend embodies so fiercely. when i say women, think of all the women who stood up to say no to violence. when i say strength, find it no matter what to help the victims. this is what we feel when we feel pride every time we do the work that we do. malya would like to say thank you because without the support of madre and our other partners, we wouldn't be here today. thank you so much. merci. >> merci. incredibly inspiring story. car crashes -- you may not know this -- are the number one cause of death for teenagers in the

united states, and one-third is alcohol related. the next hero is changing those numbers by laying down a life-saving challenge to teens in montana. here to introduce our next hero is someone who helps keep young people alive through his support of the project, josh duhamel. >> hello. under montana's big sky in the city of butte, there's a road with a white fence, and along that fence you'll find a cross that bears the name mariah, and it is only a block from where she lived and it marks the place where she was walking with friends when a drunk driver hit and killed this wonderful 14-year-old girl. sometimes you might see her father, leo mccarthy, there on bended knee, leaving some

flowers, decorating the spot with jack-o'-lanterns for halloween or wiping a tear. but he always lets mariah know that even in her death, she's making a difference. leo started mariah's challenge, a scholarship program for students who pledge not to drink before they're 21, and never get in a car with someone who has been drinking. so far 8,000 young people have taken this pledge. it shows how a father's grief can do more than bring tears. it can bring lasting change to a city, a state, an entire generation of young people. >> my town is butte, montana. it has a great history of hard living. the rite of passage here of drinking seems to start in teenage years.

that culture has continued even when our society has changed. >> good job! >> mariah was so full of fun. october 27, 2007, mariah was 14. she was plowed over by a drunk driver. our innocence was changed, and the town's innocence was changed. the groups where talk to around montana are from seventh grade until senior in high school. if they take mariah's challenge, they will not drink until they're 21, not get in a car with someone who has been drinking, and give back to the community, we're going to give them money for college or a trade school. >> i am the voice of mariah's challenge. mariah is the face of mariah's challenge. but the living face, the breathing face, are you people. it's about you changing a

culture. you know, this nation we lose somebody every 15 minutes to alcohol-related fatalities. and what is so unbelievable, it can change. >> well, first, we need to start with the weekends. that's the hardest part. you're just home alone, and there's that temptation. i think the best that we can do is, like i said before, lead by example. >> it's a great feeling to have youth come up and say, i am mariah's challenge. >> you just give like a lot of courage to me. thank you. >> be strong, okay? you're my hero. >> i know she's smiling. i think she would be damn proud of it. i will do mariah's challenge until we don't need it. if it can change here, it can happen anywhere else.

>> it is my honor to present cnn hero, leo mccarthy. >> i am just one dad who loved his daughter with all his heart. mariah's challenge is saving lives across montana, and i don't see why it can't be done around the world. talk to your kids. let's change the culture and

keep these promising, smart, funny, vibrant kids alive. we need them. thank you. next, ne-yo performs before we announce the 2012 hero of the year. mm. some laxatives like dulcolax can cause cramps. but phillips' caplets don't. they have magnesium. for effective relief of occasional constipation. thanks. [ phillips' lady ] live the regular life. phillips'.

when the doctor told me that i could smoke for the first week... i'm like...yeah, ok... little did i know that one week later i wasn't smoking.

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welcome back. our heroes have done so much for our world and as they help those in need, they need our help as well and our support. if you want to donate, you can do it at cnnheroes.com right now. our final performance is a fitting anthem for our show, and here to perform "heroes," founder of the compound foundation creating opportunities for youth in foster and group homes, three-time grammy award winner, ne-yo.

♪ never doubt, never doubt, here for you, here for me ♪ ♪ worry not ♪ i'll be there, strength when you feel weak ♪ ♪ in the dark when you can't see guiding light i will be ♪ ♪ all i need all i need is for you to do the same for me ♪ ♪ cuz even heroes need heroes sometimes ♪ ♪ even the strong need someone to tell them it's all right ♪ ♪ even heroes need heroes sometimes ♪ ♪ will you be my hero tonight

♪ just look up, up so high just above you is where i fly ♪ ♪ but if i fall from the sky on you can i rely ♪ ♪ i'll protect you from the world whenever i can ♪ ♪ but will you do the same for me now and again ♪ ♪ even heroes need heroes sometimes ♪ ♪ even the strong need someone to tell them it's all right ♪ ♪ even heroes need heroes sometime ♪ ♪ will you be my hero tonight

♪ come to my my rescue do for me as i do for you ♪ ♪ be my eyes when i am blind ♪ because no one can be strong all the time ♪ ♪ even heroes need heroes sometimes ♪ ♪ even the strong need someone

to tell them it's all right ♪ ♪ even heroes need heroes sometime ♪ will you be my hero tonight ♪ ♪ will you be my hero tonight ♪ will you be my hero tonight ♪ will you be my hero tonight

coming up, we reveal the 2012 cnn hero of the year. (all) the gulf! it doesn't matter which of our great states folks visit. mississippi, alabama, louisiana or florida, they're gonna love it. shaul, your alabama hospitality is incredible. thanks, karen. love your mississippi outdoors. i vote for your florida beaches, dawn. bill, this louisiana seafood is delicious. we're having such a great year on the gulf, we've decided to put aside our rivalry. now is the perfect time to visit anyone of our states. the beaches and waters couldn't be more beautiful. take a boat ride, go fishing or just lay in the sun. we've got coastline to explore and wildlife to photograph. and there's world class dining with our world famous seafood. so for a great vacation this year, come to the gulf. its all fabulous but i give florida the edge. right after mississippi. you mean alabama. say louisiana or there's no dessert.

this invitation is brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home.

welcome back. cnn has awarded each of our incredible top ten heroes $50,000 to carry on their inspiring work. in addition, the annanberg foundation which is a leading supporter of nonprofits worldwide is providing the honorees with free training on fund-raising, communications, management, and more. we gave you the opportunity to go to cnn.com and vote for the hero of the year. more than 5 million votes were cast around the world. and all of our heroes received an immense amount of support. the hero of the year will receive an additional $250,000 grant to continue their work.

it is my great honor tonight to announce the 2012 cnn hero of the year. the 2012 cnn hero of the year from kathmandu is pushpa basnet.

>> thank you so much. this award means a lot to me. there are still children living in the prison. mamu is going to take you out from the prison and you're coming to my place. and this is for my children, and this is for back to my country, nepal, and thanks to everyone who voted for me and believed in my dream. thank you. >> i want to invite all our honorees back onstage. all of our cnn heroes from this year. these heroes stand tall against abuse, against injustice, against inequality. please continue to help their causes by donating at cnnheroes.com. >> i hope some of tonight's stories have inspired you to bring more good to this world. you, too,